They Can't Take That Away From Me
Episode Info Episode #163 and 164 - Season 7, Episodes 19 and 20 First Aired: April 2 and April 9, 1989 Title: the same as the title of a Gershwin song. Plot Part I - Lauren is going away to a psychology conference and won't see Alex for a few weeks. While he will miss her, Alex is busy teaching an economics course on campus. While tutoring, Alex finds himself attracted to an awkward student, Marty Brodie (played by Jane Adams). Alex struggles with his feelings, especially as the time for Lauren to return home approaches. Part II - Lauren returns from her conference eager to see Alex. Feeling uncomfortable seeing her, Alex tells her about his relationship with Marty. She reacts quite negatively. Alex ends up in a cafeteria with both girls waiting to talk to him (and both end up spilling food on him). As if he's not distracted already, Alex has to work on his valedictory speech, and he has a conversation with Jean-Paul Sartre , Sigmund Freud , and William Shakespeare in the kitchen. Alex and Lauren have an emotional conversation to resolve their issues. Alex graduates from Leland. Funny Moments *Mallory has an interesting understanding of existentialism *Andy's response to Alex and Lauren kissing *Alex uses a textbook called If You're Rich and You Know it, Clap Your Hands *Alex sees Lauren's copy of Narcissism: An Introduction, considers reading it, but then says, "Nah, I think too much of myself to read that." *Alex thinking (as he watches Marty play the piano): "Look at you at that piano. You look so right sitting there. So joyous, so full of life. You look like me filling out the new 1040 short form. There's so much I like about you. Of all the basic-applied-economic-principles-of-capitalism-in-the-post-industrial-era seminars in the world, you had to walk into mine." (an homage to Casablanca ) *When Alex and Lauren are talking, she says verbatim the words he'd planned to say. *Alex plans to meet Leona Helmsley when he gets to New York. Music *Marty accidentally plays a passage from Mozart's Die Zauberflote in class. *Marty plays Gershwin's S'Wonderful at the piano (and it becomes a theme in the episode) *"Put on a Happy Face " (from the musical Bye Bye Birdie ) *"Tomorrow " (from the musical Annie ), with modification by Jennifer *"Kids " (from the musical Bye Bye Birdie ) *"Embraceable You " (by Gershwin, used in the musical Girl Crazy ) - (The selection Marty plays is sung by Cleo Laine) *Marty mentions "Pomp and Circumstance " Trivia *Alex teaches economics in this episode as he did (with Ellen as his student) in "Teacher's Pet ". *Alex suspects that Soupy Sales might be the guest speaker at the Grant College graduation. *Marty invites Alex to see Cleo Laine give a concert *Alex mentions the old TV Show Love, American Style *The cafeteria worker compares Alex's situation to Fatal Attraction . *Alex speaks of assorted plagues and adds "Democrats in '92". If only he knew!